Bellfield vs Heidelberg West

In both, most homes are detached houses. In Bellfield, about half of households rent. In Heidelberg West, most households rent. Houses cost more in Bellfield: a median of $1.02 million, against $775,000 in Heidelberg West, and rent is higher there too. Bellfield is closer to the city centre: 13.2 km, against 15 km. On these figures, Heidelberg West tends to suit renters, people living alone, and buyers on a tighter budget.

Which one suits you?

There is no overall winner — the suburb that suits a family with school-age kids is routinely the wrong one for someone commuting into the city. So each of these answers its own question, against a checklist you can see, using the same figures in the tables below.

Families with school-age kids

Bellfield

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (70/100 vs 95/100)
  • has more separate houses rather than flats (74% vs 57%)
  • is already more of a family suburb (58% vs 46%)
  • But Heidelberg West has more parks and reserves (6 vs 2)

Weighs schools, house stock, crime, parks, childcare, and who already lives there.

First-home buyers

They split

one each way, out of the 2 things we measure here

  • Bellfield leaves households under less mortgage stress (29% vs 35%)
  • Heidelberg West has cheaper houses ($775,000 vs $1,022,500)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Heidelberg West

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (56% vs 45%)
  • has cheaper rent ($306/wk vs $375/wk)

Weighs rent, rental stress, and how much is for rent.

Commuting to the city

Bellfield

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (89/100 vs 80/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, rail access, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Bellfield

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (70/100 vs 95/100)
  • is more walkable (89/100 vs 80/100)
  • But Heidelberg West has more units and townhouses to downsize into (43% vs 26%)

Weighs smaller dwellings, who already lives there, GPs, walkability, and crime.

Investors

They split

one each way, out of the 2 things we measure here

  • Bellfield is growing faster (11.3% vs -5.3%)
  • Heidelberg West returns a higher gross yield on houses (4.2% vs 3.5%)

Weighs house yield and population growth.

Where they sit

Bellfield and Heidelberg West drawn to the same scale. Both outlines are shown together, so the map answers whether they share a border and how their areas compare.

Bellfield Heidelberg West
Hides rows where both suburbs match

Bars start at zero. Scores, risks and rankings are drawn against their full 0–100 range; other rows are drawn in proportion to the larger of the two.

Side by side, out of 100

Risks are inverted — shown as safety and low exposure — so a longer bar always means better.

Bellfield Heidelberg West
Walkability 89 / 80
Bellfield — Walkability: 89/100 Heidelberg West — Walkability: 80/100
Safety 30 / 5
Bellfield — Safety: 30/100 Heidelberg West — Safety: 5/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Bellfield — Low fire risk: 100/100 Heidelberg West — Low fire risk: 100/100
Low flood risk 59 / 48
Bellfield — Low flood risk: 59/100 Heidelberg West — Low flood risk: 48/100

Demographics

Heidelberg West has more residents (5,252 vs 1,996); Bellfield has higher household incomes ($95,940 vs $65,364).

Bellfield Heidelberg West
Population 1,996 5,252
+163% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +11.3% -5.3%
Median age 36 35
Median household income $95,940/yr
+32% vs other
 $65,364/yr
Median weekly rent $375/wk
+18% vs other
 $306/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Bellfield Heidelberg West
0-4 6.6% / 6.7%
Bellfield — 0-4: 6.6% Heidelberg West — 0-4: 6.7%
5-14 10.4% / 10.3%
Bellfield — 5-14: 10.4% Heidelberg West — 5-14: 10.3%
15-19 5.2% / 5.2%
Bellfield — 15-19: 5.2% Heidelberg West — 15-19: 5.2%
20-24 6.1% / 7.5%
Bellfield — 20-24: 6.1% Heidelberg West — 20-24: 7.5%
25-34 19.3% / 20.1%
Bellfield — 25-34: 19.3% Heidelberg West — 25-34: 20.1%
35-44 16.6% / 13.6%
Bellfield — 35-44: 16.6% Heidelberg West — 35-44: 13.6%
45-54 11.5% / 11.0%
Bellfield — 45-54: 11.5% Heidelberg West — 45-54: 11.0%
55-64 11.1% / 11.7%
Bellfield — 55-64: 11.1% Heidelberg West — 55-64: 11.7%
65-74 8.4% / 8.1%
Bellfield — 65-74: 8.4% Heidelberg West — 65-74: 8.1%
75-84 3.5% / 4.0%
Bellfield — 75-84: 3.5% Heidelberg West — 75-84: 4.0%
85+ 1.8% / 1.6%
Bellfield — 85+: 1.8% Heidelberg West — 85+: 1.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (20.1%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Bellfield 30.4% lone person
Bellfield — Lone Person: 30.4% Bellfield — Couple Families: 40.7% Bellfield — One Parent Families: 17.6% Bellfield — Group Household: 9.0% Bellfield — Other Families: 2.2%
Heidelberg West 42.7% lone person
Heidelberg West — Lone Person: 42.7% Heidelberg West — Couple Families: 26.6% Heidelberg West — One Parent Families: 18.9% Heidelberg West — Group Household: 9.2% Heidelberg West — Other Families: 2.6%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Bellfield 45.3% renting
Bellfield — Owned Outright: 22.3% Bellfield — Mortgage: 32.4% Bellfield — Renting: 45.3%
Heidelberg West 56.0% renting
Heidelberg West — Owned Outright: 16.6% Heidelberg West — Mortgage: 27.4% Heidelberg West — Renting: 56.0%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

Highest non-school qualification, residents 15+, 2021 Census.

Bellfield Heidelberg West
Bachelor Degree 17.6% / 14.0%
Bellfield — Bachelor Degree: 17.6% Heidelberg West — Bachelor Degree: 14.0%
Certificate III & IV 9.1% / 10.1%
Bellfield — Certificate III & IV: 9.1% Heidelberg West — Certificate III & IV: 10.1%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.1% / 7.2%
Bellfield — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.1% Heidelberg West — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.2%
Postgraduate Degree 6.9% / 6.2%
Bellfield — Postgraduate Degree: 6.9% Heidelberg West — Postgraduate Degree: 6.2%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.7% / 2.3%
Bellfield — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.7% Heidelberg West — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.6%).

Where residents were born

Largest overseas birthplaces, as a share of all residents, 2021 Census. A dash means that country is not among the suburb's own eight largest.

Bellfield Heidelberg West
China 3.3% / 3.1%
Bellfield — China: 3.3% Heidelberg West — China: 3.1%
India 2.3% / 2.1%
Bellfield — India: 2.3% Heidelberg West — India: 2.1%
Philippines 2.0% / 1.4%
Bellfield — Philippines: 2.0% Heidelberg West — Philippines: 1.4%
Vietnam 1.8% / 1.3%
Bellfield — Vietnam: 1.8% Heidelberg West — Vietnam: 1.3%
England 1.4% / 1.6%
Bellfield — England: 1.4% Heidelberg West — England: 1.6%
Lebanon 2.3% / —
Bellfield — Lebanon: 2.3% Heidelberg West — Lebanon: not among its largest
New Zealand — / 1.9%
Bellfield — New Zealand: not among its largest Heidelberg West — New Zealand: 1.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (3.3%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Bellfield 74.2% houses
Bellfield — Houses: 74.2% Bellfield — Townhouses: 24.2% Bellfield — Flats / Apartments: 1.5%
Heidelberg West 56.7% houses
Heidelberg West — Houses: 56.7% Heidelberg West — Townhouses: 42.2% Heidelberg West — Flats / Apartments: 1.1%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Bellfield Heidelberg West
Median house price $1,022,500 $775,000
Median unit price — $610,000
Median land price — $720,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 39 days
from 6 sales
 23 days
from 53 sales

House price by bedroom count

Only bed counts both suburbs published enough sales for. Sale counts are shown because the buckets differ in depth.

Bellfield Heidelberg West
2 bed $1.01M / $718K
Bellfield — 2 bed: $1.01M (11 sales) Heidelberg West — 2 bed: $718K (26 sales)

11 vs 26 sales

3 bed $1.02M / $770K
Bellfield — 3 bed: $1.02M (21 sales) Heidelberg West — 3 bed: $770K (68 sales)

21 vs 68 sales

4 bed $1.02M / $880K
Bellfield — 4 bed: $1.02M (9 sales) Heidelberg West — 4 bed: $880K (6 sales)

9 vs 6 sales

Zoning mix

Heidelberg West has more industrially zoned land (30% vs 0%).

Bellfield Heidelberg West
Residential 67% 45%
Industrial 0% 30%
Parks and recreation 17% 15%
Infrastructure and transport 16% 8%
Commercial 0% 2%
Zoning sets what may be built, not what is there today. A single address can sit in a different zone to the suburb around it. Zones as at 2026-09.

Development activity

Bellfield Heidelberg West
New dwellings approved 722
across Banyule
same for both
Approvals change year on year -75%
same for both

Gross rental yield

Gross — before strata, rates, management, insurance and vacancy. From median advertised rents and median asking prices over the last 6 months. How we calculate.

Bellfield Heidelberg West
Houses 3.5%
$630/wk on $948K
 4.2%
$650/wk on $800K
Units — 3.8%
$460/wk on $628K

Ranking within VIC

Bellfield Heidelberg West
House price — Higher than 52% of VIC
Income Higher than 66% of VIC Higher than 26% of VIC
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 96% of VIC Higher than 93% of VIC
Affordability — Higher than 23% of VIC
EV adoption Higher than 88% of VIC
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 92% of VIC Higher than 97% of VIC
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 34% of VIC Higher than 82% of VIC
Rental yield (units) — Higher than 4% of VIC

Liveability

Bellfield scores higher overall (67 vs 45); Bellfield is more walkable (89 vs 80).

Bellfield Heidelberg West
Grade B C
Score 67/100 45/100
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 6/10
 below-average income
decile 2/10

Risk profile

Heidelberg West carries more crime risk (95 vs 70); Heidelberg West carries more flood risk (52 vs 41).

Bellfield Heidelberg West
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime High
70/100
 High
95/100
Flood Moderate
41/100
 Moderate
52/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 7
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Bellfield Heidelberg West
Inside the suburb 1 2
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0 1
Universities within 10 km 3
Melbourne (Bundoora) Campus, 6.3 km
 3
Melbourne (Bundoora) Campus, 4.6 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 3.0% 3.2%

Schools in Bellfield

  • Waratah Special Developmental School Government · Combined · Special school

Schools in Heidelberg West

  • St Pius X School Catholic · Primary below peers
  • Charles La Trobe P-12 College-Olympic Village Primary Campus Government · Combined

Amenities in the suburb

Bellfield Heidelberg West
Supermarkets 0 3
Cafes & restaurants 0 2
Parks & reserves 2 6
Childcare 3 4
GPs 2 3
Pharmacies 0 3
Banks & Bank@Post 0 1
Waterways 1 0

Mobility

Bellfield Heidelberg West
Walkability score 89/100 80/100
Distance to Melbourne 13.2 km 15 km
+14% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 24 min 27 min
Public transport score 79/100
Bus
same for both
Peak arrivals per hour 60.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
 216.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
 0 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 1.5%
postcode 3081
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 22
postcode 3081
same for both

How people get to work

Method of travel on census day 2021 — which fell during COVID restrictions, so working from home is inflated and every travel mode understated.

Bellfield Heidelberg West
Car (driver) 55.0% / 57.0%
Bellfield — Car (driver): 55.0% Heidelberg West — Car (driver): 57.0%
Worked from Home 32.6% / 28.4%
Bellfield — Worked from Home: 32.6% Heidelberg West — Worked from Home: 28.4%
Bus 3.8% / 4.2%
Bellfield — Bus: 3.8% Heidelberg West — Bus: 4.2%
Car (passenger) 3.0% / 4.5%
Bellfield — Car (passenger): 3.0% Heidelberg West — Car (passenger): 4.5%
Train 2.4% / 2.1%
Bellfield — Train: 2.4% Heidelberg West — Train: 2.1%
Walked Only 1.6% / 2.9%
Bellfield — Walked Only: 1.6% Heidelberg West — Walked Only: 2.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (57.0%).

Setting

Bellfield Heidelberg West
Elevation 65 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 71 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 13.2 km 14.8 km

NBN connectivity

Bellfield Heidelberg West
Connectivity score 83/100 91/100
Most common technology Hybrid fibre-coaxial Fibre to the premises
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 28%
1,016 premises
 54%
4,163 premises

Climate

Bellfield Heidelberg West
Annual rainfall 534 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 26.7°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 6.5°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Bellfield Heidelberg West
PM2.5 7.3 µg/m³ 3.9 µg/m³
PM10 17.8 µg/m³ —
NO₂ 0.82 pphm —

Council rates

Bellfield Heidelberg West
Average residential rate $1,787/yr
same for both
Council Banyule
same for both

Federal electorate

Bellfield Heidelberg West
Division Jagajaga
same for both
Member Kate Thwaites
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Bellfield Heidelberg West
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Bellfield

Middle-Ring Multicultural Parks Professionals Townhouses

Heidelberg West

Middle-Ring Multicultural Parks Townhouses

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Bellfield

Bellfield vs Preston Bellfield vs Thornbury Bellfield vs Ivanhoe Bellfield vs Heidelberg Heights

Other comparisons with Heidelberg West

Heidelberg West vs Reservoir Heidelberg West vs Preston Heidelberg West vs Bundoora Heidelberg West vs Ivanhoe Heidelberg West vs Macleod Heidelberg West vs Heidelberg Heights
Full data on Bellfield Full data on Heidelberg West
Unlock full address-level data — $29/month

Information shown is provided as-is from Australian government and commercial data sources.
Always verify with the relevant authority before making property decisions.
See Data Sources and How We Calculate for details.

Save this page for later

We'll email you a link to this page so you can finish reading it on any device. We use your address once to send it and don't keep it.

or